La Cavalière in front of a course full of obstacles |Jdm

When we do things well, good things end up happening.

It is a sentence of Michel Laplante, the CEO of the Capitals of Quebec, who returns to my mind by listening to the president of Tristan Lili Fortin, daughter of the founder, tell me how she and her family managed to save their battered businessby the pandemic.

On August 5, after a year of unimaginable crisis, creditors of clothing stores launched by his parents in 1973 unanimously accepted the reimbursement proposal of 10 % of the debt made to them.

Tristan had placed himself under the protection of the bankruptcy and insolvency law in July 2020, victim of store closings caused by the Pandemia.Lawyers and the trustee had never seen that: unanimity for a reimbursement of 10 % of the debt, accompanied by a great wave of support and love.It was precious comfort for Lili and her family, after months in survival mode.And it would never have happened without years of respectful relationships with suppliers.Everyone wanted this family to continue to accomplish their mission.

And here is the pandemic

At the start of the pandemic, Tristan had transformed manufacturing to its cookshire factory in order to produce protective visors for workers.A way of resisting devastation by doing useful work.What is less known is that in addition to that, the company saved the supply of medical blouses intended to protect the health workers of Quebec.

While the authorities hesitated between disposable or washable blouses, imported or made locally, Lili played left or double.She had the deep intuition that it was necessary to import china blouses.But as the whole world was disputed, they had to pay them before receipt, at a high price, and bring them by plane.Fortin was chatting with the government, but did not have an order form.

They still took the risk of buying, at a time when there was more expenses than income for their business.The blouses arrived at the warehouse on a spring 2020 Friday.Lili called for officials of the supplies for the Quebec Government.

"Blouses in Montreal?"Are you serious ?»»

It was like a gift that fell from the sky.Trucks were sent the same day to recover them.It was so urgent that without Tristan, he would have missed blouses during the weekend.With the employees still present, Lili helped load, while she was told to pay attention to her and the little child she wore.

Olivia was born on August 28, 2020, in the midst of frequent meetings with the trustee and lawyers, a few weeks after the National Bank dropped Tristan.The little one does not know it yet, but as her cousin born six months later, she was a lighthouse for her family and Tristan employees.She was one of the positive elements to which we could hang on so as not to freeze in fear or sink into depression.She helped think about life, at a time when death and fights were everywhere.

Do not give in panic

At the edge of the financial precipice, without bank support, and faced with donors who refused to give air to retailers, Lili also saw head hunters turn around her employees like vultures above an injured animal injured.

In chaos and uncertainty, carried by her protective instinct, she refused to give in panic.She repeated herself every day the lessons of her horse riding teacher: she would never become a good rider by climbing docile horses.On the back of the agities, there was only one way to find its focus area: calm, right and forward.

This is how good things ended up happening.By keeping calm, while taking enormous risks to contribute to the efforts to protect public health, Tristan survived.Employees, suppliers and customers remained faithful because they kept confidence.And Lili takes more time today with Olivia and her two other children.

Right in front, she still sees fog, despite the upturn.We do not yet know when workers will swap jogging for dresses and jackets.We do not know how much consumption habits have been changed.But right in front, there is hope and a new state of mind.

"We paid too much to learn, but we learned a lot.We are moving forward today with the confidence that we are going to go through and with the opening of doing things differently, "said Lili Fortin.

Lili Fortin profile